Baseline Legal Services Program
Legal Aid of Napa Valley provides free bilingual legal advice and representation to low-income individuals and families with a variety of legal issues, including:
- Housing problems, such as discrimination in renting, eviction proceedings, security deposits, and landlord's failure to make repairs
- Services related to domestic violence, such as assisting individuals experiencing domestic violence in obtaining restraining orders to protect themselves, their children, and other family or household members who may be in physical danger from a spouse or partner, and advising those individuals on issues such as marriage dissolution, separation, child support, child custody and visitation
- Debt-related problems, such as creditor actions, fraud and identity theft
- Employment problems, such as workplace discrimination, wage claims, and unemployment benefits
- Disability and civil rights issues
- Access to public benefits such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, food stamps, Medi-Cal and MediCare, and veterans benefits
Legal Advice Clinics
Free clinics are held regularly at the HOPE Center, Napa Emergency Women's Services (NEWS), the Calistoga Family Center, and other locations throughout Napa County convenient for individuals and families in need. People seeking legal advice may attend a clinic to consult with a legal advocate free of charge. We recommend contacting Legal Aid before attending a clinic to confirm the time and place of the clinic and to schedule an appointment.
Eligibility
Services are available to low-income residents of Napa County regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, family status, or national origin. To be eligible for legal assistance under the Baseline Legal Services Program, clients may not have a total annual income of more than a certain percentage of the poverty level set by the federal government. When first contacting Legal Aid, clients will be asked certain question about their income and assets, family size and residency to assess whether income and residency requirements are met. Legal rules also require us to screen for any conflicts of interest prior to providing legal advice and/or representation. All information we collect from clients is confidential.
The Baseline Legal Services Program is made possible in part by grants from van Loben Sels/Rembe Rock Foundation, Legal Services Trust Fund of the State Bar of California, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and United States Department of Justice/Legal Assistance Program.
